


The Waiting is the Hardest Part

by Falahime



Series: I Can't Think Up A Clever Name for Haikyu Fics Right Now [4]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Getting Together, M/M, Misunderstandings, Post-Time Skip, just some goofy fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-26
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-18 11:41:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28991625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Falahime/pseuds/Falahime
Summary: Despite Bokuto’s one-track volleyball mind and penchant for really bizarre misunderstandings, Akaashi had never considered the possibility that Bokuto could really be that much of an idiot. Hecouldn’t, could he?Bokuto was still grinning back at him, looking like the happiest man in the world.Akaashi’s heart clenched.Hecouldbe that much of an idiot.And Akaashi was hopelessly in love with him anyway.
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou
Series: I Can't Think Up A Clever Name for Haikyu Fics Right Now [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2000623
Comments: 28
Kudos: 200
Collections: Bokuaka(hasbroheybro), I Didn't Know We Were Dating, Time Skip





	The Waiting is the Hardest Part

**Author's Note:**

> This isn't in chronological order with the other fics; I imagine it's around the time of the Olympics. Honestly, I didn't sweat that too much since it was just a cute, silly little thing in my brain that wormed its way out.

Bokuto had been oddly quiet during dinner (anytime Bokuto was quiet, it was odd) and oddly quieter on the stroll back to the hotel. Since it had been a couple months since they’d last seen each other in person, Akaashi expected the usual loud, ebullient Bokuto. The one who regaled him with no regard to inside-voice with stories about his teammates, opponents, practices, and games.   
  
It appeared he was not only at the top of his game but was also more popular with fans than ever (which was a big part of why Akaashi had been asked to do another interview with him) so there was no immediately obvious reason Akaashi could think of to explain Bokuto’s subdued fidgeting.

Akaashi had spent a potentially questionable amount of time observing Bokuto. Sure, they’d gone their separate ways (kind of) once Bokuto graduated, but every phone call, every meeting—even now—Akaashi still found himself constantly watching, analyzing, evaluating, adapting. 

That’s why, even though he knew the answer just from the nervous flicker of golden eyes, the twitching of eyebrows pinching and raising, the uncertain alternating of a quick frown to the bite of a lower lip, Akaashi still asked the question.

“Is something wrong, Bokuto-san?”

Bokuto startled, staring back with eyes wide in surprise (which Akaashi had predicted). “Huh?”

“Is something wrong?” Akaashi repeated gently. Bokuto loved talking and especially loved talking about himself (which was fine—Akaashi hated talking about himself...and maybe loved talking about Bokuto, if he would dare to admit it...so their conversations worked out for the both of them) so it shouldn’t be too difficult to coax the truth out of him. “You seem a bit unsettled.”

Bokuto sighed heavily before smiling an oddly affectionate half smile (which totally blew Akaashi’s predictions to smithereens). “You really do know me best.”

The fondness in his voice made Akaashi’s face flush. “Oh?” he asked, trying to sound neutral.

“Of course!” Bokuto laughed, once again sounding his perfectly normal, absolutely not-normal self. “I should have known there was nothing to worry about!”

“So what _were_ you worried about?” Akaashi asked carefully, gut clenching with the uncomfortable suspicion that maybe he’d missed something very important.

“Just Tsum-Tsum being dumb,” Bokuto said with a wave. “I dunno why I let it get to me.”

Despite Bokuto’s apparent willingness to move on, Akaashi felt like he really needed to know what this was about. 

“Dumber than usual?” he pressed. Miya was a volleyball idiot much like Bokuto was; what could he have done or said that even Bokuto would think was dumb?

Bokuto rolled his eyes, like now he thought Akaashi was being silly and he wasn’t the one fidgety and anxious just moments before. “He just was making some comment about how you always go out of your way to see his brother anytime you’re anywhere close.”

“Of course.” Akaashi’s frowned, confused. “He’s a great cook and his onigiri are amazing.”

“That’s what I said!” Bokuto said, hands splayed out in enthusiastic agreement. “It’s because of the onigiri, not because you have a crush on him like Tsum-Tsum said!”

“Because I _what?_ ” Akaashi asked incredulously. He thought he was immune to some of the weirder things that Bokuto had verbally flung at him over the years, but this took the cake.

“I told him that was ridiculous,” Bokuto said, with a little shake of his head. Then he beamed at Akaashi. “There’s no way my boyfriend would cheat on me!”

For a second, Akaashi was absurdly reminded of those scenes in movies when bombs go off and all sound is muffled and time slows down. He told himself to breathe again, once he realized that he’d stopped. He even spared a glance down, to confirm that the ground was, apparently, still underneath him and hadn’t fallen away under his feet.

Now, he knew for a fact ( _do you know anything for a fact, when it comes to Bokuto?_ a small voice in his head chided) that Bokuto was not dating Miya Osamu. 

_“There’s no way my boyfriend would cheat on me!”_

So, by process of elimination, if they were talking about Akaashi and Osamu, one of whom Bokuto was apparently referring to as his boyfriend, and if it was, in fact, not Osamu, then...

“Huh,” Akaashi marveled, a little puff of sound spoken mostly to himself.

“You wouldn’t, would you?” Bokuto asked, eyes wide with a tinge of panic, unknowingly confirming Akaashi's suspicion.

“Of course not,” Akaashi heard himself say. Then, because despite being severely shell shocked, he was nothing if not used to rolling with Bokuto’s metaphorical punches and he needed to figure this out and fill in the blanks as quickly as possible. “Especially since we’ve been dating since...” he trailed off casually, counting on Bokuto to finish his sentence.

And, thankfully, Bokuto delivered beautifully. “High school!”

“High school,” Akaashi repeated, hoping to sound calm and not strangled.  
  
“Right? That’s what I said!” Bokuto grinned broadly. “We’ve been together this long, we’re _forever_.”

If Akaashi hadn’t been still so utterly confused, he might have found that heartwarmingly romantic. But it was a little difficult to reconcile Bokuto’s belief in their forever-ness when Akaashi hadn’t even known they were apparently dating for the last _ten?_ years.

Though Akaashi did wonder briefly if Bokuto even really understood what dating _was_. Since he’d apparently thought they had been doing so since high school. Despite Bokuto’s one-track volleyball mind and penchant for really bizarre misunderstandings, Akaashi had never considered the possibility that Bokuto could really be that much of an idiot. He _couldn’t_ , could he?

Bokuto was still grinning back at him, looking like the happiest man in the world.

Akaashi’s heart clenched. 

He _could_ be that much of an idiot. 

And Akaashi was hopelessly in love with him anyway.

But, hopelessly in love or not, he needed answers and he needed them fast. Before things could get anymore misconstrued and out of control. ( _Could_ they get any more out of control?) Mind racing, Akaashi tried to quickly and secretly figure out the best way to get some very important details. He didn’t know if he could risk asking some leading questions and having Bokuto finish his sentences or if, idiot or not, Bokuto would figure him out—he could be perceptive at the most inconvenient of times. 

His other option would be to ask someone that knew Bokuto well. Again, Bokuto loved talking about himself so if he really thought he and Akaashi had been dating for the last ten years, he definitely would have gushed about it (well, that was assuming Bokuto actually understood the concept of dating...but then again, even if he just _thought_ he did, he still would’ve gushed about it, right?) to his friends.

Well. _Friend_.

Shit. 

Aside from Akaashi himself, who quite obviously didn’t know he’d been dating Bokuto Koutarou since high school, the one person Bokuto was closest to would be...

Shit shit shit.

Akaashi did _not_ want to ask Kuroo about this.

He could hear that stupid donkey laugh of his now.

Backtracking, Akaashi reviewed the evidence. Bokuto thought they were dating. Had been dating since high school. Yet not once in all this time had he ever— _y’know, actually said anything_ —kissed him, held his hand, hugged—

Okay. Well, Bokuto was a hugger. Akaashi had always just chalked it up to his boundless energy and emotional enthusiasm. 

But it’s not like they went on dates or anything, unless you counted—

All the times they met up for dinner. Bokuto inviting him as his plus-one to various events. Going to see a movie Bokuto was super pumped about. Him being oddly excited about spending the day shopping, trying to rein in his loud voice and excessive energy as Akaashi browsed bookstores. 

Akaashi was starting to feel lightheaded.

The gifts that Akaashi assumed were just excess Black Jackals merchandise (always Bokuto’s number) and strange souvenirs that caught Bokuto’s eye. The regular phone calls and demands for video chats. The daily texts about silly little things. Using new words then asking hopefully, “Did I use that right?” and being adorably happy when Akaashi told him, yes, yes he did. Snippets of videos from experimenting at practice, telling the camera, “Akaashi, watch me! Are you watching?” Then, running in way too close so his face filled up the screen, “Wasn’t I cool?!” 

After every game, unless Akaashi texted him first, he’d call: “Akaashi! Did you watch? Did you see me? Wasn’t I cool?”

Unless it was a loss, in which case, a text, nowhere near his depressive-mode from his high school days but still subdued: _Can you call when you have a sec?_ And Akaashi would call as soon as possible, assuring him, “You’re still amazing, Bokuto-san."

Sometimes, Bokuto would reply, “You always know how to cheer me up, Akaashi” or “You’re right, I am, aren’t I?” or even huff a little laugh and say “I knew I could count on you.”

But one time, relatively recently, Bokuto had said with uncharacteristic softness, “Thank you for always watching me, Akaashi.”

And Akaashi had immediately replied without thinking, “Of course, Bokuto-san. I always will.”

Bringing his thoughts back to the present, once again, Akaashi had to remind himself to breathe. 

He had decided just moments before that Bokuto was the idiot.

But now, Akaashi had to consider the possibility...

Maybe he really had been dating Bokuto since high school and _never even realized it?_

_Was he the idiot?_

“Akaashi?” Bokuto’s grin fell and his brows pinched slightly. Even with Akaashi’s split-second mental processing speed, he’d been quiet too long. “Did I do something wrong?”

“No,” Akaashi replied immediately. He swallowed heavily and put on a little fake smile, which Bokuto must’ve caught because his brow only furrowed more in response. “I just...”

“Was I wrong?” Bokuto asked, eyes wide. “Are you tired of me? You don’t really have a crush on Onigiri Miya, do you?”

It was all so ridiculous and so stupidly cute that Akaashi chuckled in spite of himself. “Of course not,” Akaashi reassured him. Then, seeing a potential opening, “I was just thinking about when we...” Okay, this was a gamble, but, “...first got together.”

“Oh!” Bokuto’s face lit up and his grin returned. “You’re so smart, Akaashi!”

In this moment, Akaashi felt like that couldn’t be further from the truth. Fortunately, Bokuto didn’t seem to know that. 

“You’re right,” Bokuto continued, delightfully oblivious. “If I just told Tsum-Tsum how we got together, he’d totally see that _nothing_ could _ever_ come between us. _Ever_.”

“Well, um, wait,” Akaashi said, as gently as possible but secretly thankful this might be his perfect chance. “What exactly would you tell him?” At Bokuto’s confused look, he clarified, “Tell it to me exactly how you’d tell it to him, and I’ll let you know if it’s a good idea.”

“Okay!” Bokuto nodded in understanding. “Well, let’s see...” He put his hand on his chin, the visual epitome of a man in serious thought. “So, like, pretend you’re Tsum-Tsum?”

“Sure,” Akaashi said before he could wonder if this was a bad idea. 

Bokuto cringed. “Even if you’re both setters, you’re nothing like Tsum-Tsum,” he pointed out.

“Maybe that’s why he’s still a setter and I’m an editor.”

Immediately Bokuto shook his head emphatically. “No, that’s not it. I don’t think.” He frowned. “Maybe it is?” He looked to Akaashi, who just shrugged. “Anyway, I like you better. Even if you’re not still a setter.”

“Thank you,” Akaashi said, not knowing what else to say. But if he had any hope of figuring out why the hell Bokuto thought they were dating (well, why he thought that _before_ all the things that Akaashi had thought of that would validate that apparently, yes, Bokuto had thought this _for a while_ ) he needed to get this back on track. “Anyway, just generally pretend you’re talking to Miya-san. Give me some idea what you are thinking about telling him. Here,” Akaashi cleared his throat and did his best to imitate Miya’s Kansai-ben, “Yer so sure of yerself, ya sure yer even datin’ the guy, Bokkun? How’d the two of ya even get ta’gether?”

Bokuto burst out laughing. “That’s real good, Akaashi! I mean, Tsum-Tsum! Okay, gotta think. Hmm.” Bokuto resumed his pondering pose. “Well, for me, it was love at first set.” Bokuto laughed at his own kind-of pun while Akaashi did his best to keep his expression neutral and not choke in complete surprise. “But we didn’t start dating until the Mujinazaka match at nationals my third year.”

Needless to say, this was absolutely news to Akaashi.

“Akaashi was having a bit of a time—that’s the trouble with being so smart, I think, he tends to overthink things sometimes—” The irony was not lost on Akaashi, even as Bokuto sunk deeper into the act of telling his story. “—So I told him he should sit for a sec, get his head straight. One of the other guys thought I was being mean, but...” Bokuto frowned, eyes focused on the past, as if he could see the memory playing out. “It wasn’t that at all. It was because I had absolute faith in Akaashi that I could tell him that, y’know? And then...” Bokuto blinked, returning to the present, and grinned so brightly it was almost startling. “Then he came back on the court and sent me a set that was so perfect. It said ‘I love you’ so clearly even the crowd heard it! And I spiked it down and said, ‘I love you too!’ And we’ve been together ever since.” Bokuto looked at him with a proud smile. "How's that?"

Though Akaashi seriously doubted that the crowd heard anything of the sort, there was another part of Bokuto’s story that bothered him just a little more. “I seem to recall you actually saying, ‘Yep! Your sets are the best,’” Akaashi said warily.

“Well,” Bokuto laughed. “It means the same thing, doesn’t it?”

In that moment Akaashi could swear he actually heard the puzzle piece click into place in his brain.

Of course to someone like Bokuto ( _is there anyone else like Bokuto?_ his internal voice asked unhelpfully) love confessions would transpire through volleyball. _Of course_ he could hear a set say _I love you_ and _of course_ telling someone _Yep! Your sets are the best!_ was his way of answering _I love you too_.

It was all so incredibly, absolutely, ridiculously—

“Bokuto-san,” Akaashi whispered to himself with a small smile, shaking his head.

“Mm,” Bokuto pondered. “Even if it’s the truth, and even it Tsum-Tsum knows it, I probably shouldn’t tell him this story. I mean, no setter likes to hear that his spiker likes someone else’s sets best, right?” He gave Akaashi a shrug.

“Right,” Akaashi agreed, not entirely sure what he was agreeing to. But it did raise another question. “So, um...since you are both professionals and Miya-san is a fantastic setter, what do his sets say to you?”

Head cocked in confusion, Bokuto looked at Akaashi like he’d asked the most ridiculous question ever. For all Akaashi knew, maybe he had. 

“What do they say?” Bokuto repeated the question.

“Yeah.”

“Spike me!” Bokuto answered with a grin. 

Akaashi had to laugh at that. “Of course,” he said. Feigning nonchalance, he added, “Maybe Miya-san doesn’t know how to set ‘I love you.’ Do you think?”

“Nah,” Bokuto said immediately with a shake of his head. “His sets say that all the time.” Surprised, especially since Bokuto had just said otherwise, Akaashi’s heart dropped to his stomach. Then, Bokuto clarified, “To Hinata.”

Everything Bokuto had said up until this moment just became more believable. Since Akaashi watched all the games and some snippets of practice (thanks to Bokuto’s videos) he saw plenty of Miya and Hinata. Too much, honestly. The worst part was the fact that Akaashi was pretty sure, after watching them, that they didn’t even know they were sickeningly obvious. 

“So those two are dating,” Akaashi mused.

“No,” Bokuto corrected, much to Akaashi’s surprise. “They still insist on acting like they don’t know what’s going on.” He shook his head in genuine, if ironic, dismay. “But it’s only a matter of time. So I make sure to be real loud when I’m entering a room they’re alone in, just in case they finally get it together and start making out or something. I mean, I don’t think they should do that at work, that’s kinda unprofessional. But neither one of them is really known for restraint. Did I use that word right?”

“You did,” Akaashi answered, only half paying attention because holy crap, was everything completely upside-down with everything Bokuto had just said. Bokuto calling out other people’s romantic obliviousness, him actually putting thought into being loud to announce his presence, accusing other people of not having restraint, talking about people making out—

Oh. So Bokuto did understand that kissing usually went with dating.

“Why have you never tried to kiss me?” Akaashi asked before he could think better of it.

“Huh?!” Bokuto yelped. 

“Well, we’ve been dating this whole time,” Akaashi said, the statement feeling surreal even as he formed the words. “Why haven’t you tried to kiss me?” Was it possible that Bokuto thought they were still just...volleyball-dating? Whatever that actually was? Maybe Bokuto didn’t even feel physical attraction? He certainly wasn’t normal so that wasn’t out of the realm of possibility. Perhaps Bokuto only experienced love plantonically? Through...sports?

“Well, um...” Adorably, Bokuto’s face reddened as he scratched the back of his neck nervously. “You’re...you’re the smart one,” Bokuto began, as if that explained anything. Akaashi certainly had never felt less smart than he had today. “And...” Darting eyes locked with Akaashi’s. “We’re a team. Still. _Always_. So...” His gaze quickly flickered to Akaashi’s mouth before hastily returning to his eyes. “I’m just waiting for you to set it up so I can hit it home.”

For a moment, Akaashi just stared, Bokuto’s words echoing in his brain as he desperately tried to make sense of them. 

All this time, Bokuto—possibly the most impatient person Akaashi had ever known—had been _waiting_ for Akaashi to initiate. 

To set it up so he could hit it home.

What a ridiculous analogy.

What a ridiculous situation in general. 

Bokuto had been waiting ten years for someone _who didn’t even know they were dating_ to initiate their first kiss.

Akaashi had to do something before he literally died laughing. Sure, this was hardly the way he had fantasized about this ever playing out, was definitely not the confession he had daydreamed about in his weaker moments. Then again, it had never remotely been a possibility. Bokuto was a star, forever beyond Akaashi’s reach. He wasn’t something that could ever hope to be obtained. Would it be cruelly opportunistic—would he be taking advantage of this massive misunderstanding if he just went right along—

“Akaashi?” Bokuto asked nervously.

“What if I want to hit it home?” 

“Huh?”

Akaashi stepped forward, pressing his lips to Bokuto’s. He kept it soft and sweet, lingering just a moment before pulling back while Bokuto was still stunned. 

“Setter dump,” he said with a smirk.

It took Bokuto a second and a slow blink before everything registered and he laughed uproariously. “You were always a sneaky one, Akaashi!” He grinned, lifting Akaashi into a bear hug and spinning him around. Still holding him up, Bokuto looked up at him. “Do it again,” he dared. “I’m ready for it this time.”

“It doesn’t work if you’re ready for it!” Akaashi laughed, but he dipped his head down all the same. 

Bokuto was a quick learner and had stamina for days. Akaashi was a perfectionist that devoted himself to getting the best out of his star. Together they were a perfect team.

Turned out that applied to more than just volleyball.

When they finally parted, Bokuto lowered Akaashi so his feet once again touched the ground (literally, anyway; metaphorically he was still floating) though Akaashi noticed Bokuto kept his arms wrapped around his waist. Which was fine, really, since Akaashi had yet to remove his hands from Bokuto’s shoulders and honestly had no desire to do so anytime soon.

“You know,” Bokuto said, with a slow grin, gold eyes bright with excitement and love so radiant it almost hurt. “I thought sets that said ‘I love you’ were the best. But now I know that kisses that say ‘I love you’ are even better.”


End file.
